James M. Lyons

Representative Matters

Arbitration and ADR Experience

In the past five years, Mr. Lyons has served as a sole arbitrator or arbitration panel chair or member in 35 major arbitrations, including international commercial disputes. These have included disputes over intellectual property, royalties, commissions, mergers, acquisitions, and distributions, as well as insurance coverages, shareholder rights and claims from real estate development interests. Mr. Lyons also has served as a court-appointed mediator and has been selected by the AAA and by counsel for private litigants in numerous cases facing imminent trial.

Recent Litigation Experience

Recent clients include The Anschutz Corporation, the City and County of Denver, Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, HealthOne, Rocky Mountain Health Care (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado and New Mexico), STET, Qwest Communications, Tracinda Corporation. 

• Lead trial counsel for a major Colorado school district in defense of statutory and constitutional challenges to its school voucher program. After an adverse 4-3 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court, the case was successfully appealed by the school district to the United States Supreme Court which granted certiorari, vacated the judgment of the Colorado Supreme Court and remanded the matter for further consideration in light of Trinity Lutheran. After a change in the composition of the elected school board, the case was then dismissed as moot.
• Served as independent counsel and lead litigation counsel to independent members of the Board of Directors of Qwest Communications in civil and regulatory matters and for the merger Qwest/Century Link.
• Served as independent counsel to the Board of Trustees of Colorado State University and as Acting General Counsel to Colorado State University.
• Lead counsel for the City and County of Denver in federal court litigation brought by the ACLU and organizations claiming infringement of First Amendment rights for parade routes, permits and public demonstration areas for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Case was tried to judgment in favor of the City on all issues.
• Lead trial counsel for the principal defendant in one of the largest CERCLA/Superfund cases in the United States, United States and State of Colorado v. Friedland et al., Civil Action No. 96-N-1213, United States District Court for the District of Colorado (Summitville Mine, Del Norte, Colorado). Case was favorably settled with the U.S. and Colorado state governments.
• Lead defense counsel for the City and County of Denver in multiple securities class actions involving the public issuance of more than $3 billion of Denver International Airport bonds (case dismissed).
• Representation, advice and strategic counseling to boards of directors, independent directors, and board committees of public companies in connection with securities litigation, class actions, and regulatory and compliance investigations. Also representation of hospital boards and non-profit health care insurance entities in connection with asset sales, conversion to for-profit status, and formation of foundations to receive proceeds. Related representations include matters involving D&O liability and D&O insurance carriers.
• Pro Bono co-lead counsel for a group of Colorado state prisoners with untreated hepatitis C. Federal court settlement resulted in a state of the art treatment protocol.

Related News

Presentations

Mr. Lyons is a frequent lecturer on the Northern Ireland peace process and current affairs in Ireland.

Distinctions

University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland - Honorary Doctorate of Law (LL.D.) - "In recognition of his service to peace & the people of Northern Ireland", 2002
Colorado Super Lawyers - Top Ten, 2006-2019; Top Vote Getter, 2012; 2006-2020
The Best Lawyers in America - “Bet-the-Company Litigator of the Year” for Denver - Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense–White Collar, and Mediation, 2010, 2016-2020
5280 [The Denver Magazine] - "Top Lawyers" List, 2020
St. Thomas More Award - Catholic Lawyers Guild of Colorado - Northern Ireland peace process, 1998
Learned Hand National Award - American Jewish Committee, 1998
Law Week Colorado - "Best Arbitrator", 2011 "Lawyer of the Decade", 2010-2011
Corporate INTL Magazine - "Alternative Dispute Resolution Attorney of the Year" in Colorado, 2014
Colorado Super Lawyers Cover - Featured cover story - "The Gold Standard - How Jim Lyons Helped Bring Peace to Northern Ireland.", 2007
Chambers USA - 2013 Top Band - Commercial Litigation, 2013-2020
Benchmark Litigation - "Local Litigation Star" in Colorado, 2016-2020
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (Inaugural) Leadership Award, 2010
DePaul University College of Law - Outstanding Alumnus, 2011

Other Info